Rotary mower configured to retard vegetation flow

Abstract

A rotary mower apparatus includes a mower deck with a top side and an underside. A blade assembly is mounted below the underside of the mower deck, and includes blade members at outer portions thereof. A drive is operative to rotate the blade assembly such that the blade members move in a circular path under the underside of the mower deck. A plurality of elongate retarding members extend downward from the underside of the mower deck, and each retarding member extends transverse to the circular path of the blade members and transverse to a flow path of cut vegetation.

1 . A rotary mower apparatus comprising:
 a mower deck with a top side and an underside;   a blade assembly mounted to the mower deck below the underside of the mower deck, the blade assembly comprising blade members at outer portions of the blade assembly;   a drive mounted to the mower deck and operative to rotate the blade assembly such that the blade members move in a circular path under the underside of the mower deck; and   a plurality of elongate retarding members mounted below the underside of the mower deck, each retarding member extending transverse to the circular path of the blade members and transverse to a flow path of cut vegetation.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the retarding members are substantially equally spaced along the circular path. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 1  and  2   claim 1  wherein the retarding members extend substantially radially with respect to the circular path. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the underside of the mower deck is defined by a plurality of frame members and a bottom surface of a skin laid over the frame members, and wherein the retarding members are configured such that bottom edges of the retarding members are substantially at the same vertical level. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mower deck includes front and side panels extending down ward from the top side of the mower deck, and an open rear end, such that vegetation cut by the blade members is confined under the mower deck by the panels and is forced by the rotating blade members into the flow path, and the flow path is substantially tangential to the circular path of the blade members and such that the cut vegetation is thrown out the open rear end of the mower deck. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a blade ring extending downward from the underside of the mower deck and configured such that a bottom edge of the blade ring is located above and in proximity to the circular path of the blade members, and wherein the retarding members are attached to the blade ring. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein there is a gap between a top edge of at least one retarding member and the underside of the deck. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein a bottom edge of at least one retarding member is above the bottom edge of the blade ring. 
     
     
         7 . : ROTARY MOWER CONFIGURED TO RETARD VEGETATION FLOW 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein at least one retarding member extends outward from the blade ring. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein at least one retarding member extends inward from the blade ring. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein a bottom edge of at least one retarding member is located at substantially the same vertical position as the bottom edge of the blade ring. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the retarding members are removable.